raw silk

Raw silk is the initial form of silk produced through sericulture, the practice of raising silkworms, primarily the domesticated silkworm (Bombyx mori). These caterpillars spin cocoons from a continuous filament of fibroin, a protein, cemented by sericin. After the silkworms are killed in the cocoon stage, the filaments are unwound and twisted together to form silk yarn. This yarn, still containing sericin, is known as raw silk. The gummy sericin is later removed by boiling, resulting in a soft, lustrous fiber that is then dyed and woven into textiles. Silk production originated in ancient China and has a long history of trade and cultural exchange, notably along the Silk Road. Despite the development of synthetic fibers, silk remains a prized luxury material.123